


Study Buddy

by Crollalanza



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Friendship, M/M, little bit of pining, study angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-18
Updated: 2015-11-18
Packaged: 2018-05-02 06:12:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,226
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5237396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crollalanza/pseuds/Crollalanza
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's a normal study session for the pair of them, except with the threat of no trip to Tokyo if he fails his exams, Kinoshita  is unusually despondent.  So it's up to Narita to pull him out of this slump, because 'who else will warm benches with him?' - he tells himself.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Study Buddy

**Author's Note:**

> This is for Megan, (museicalitea)who prompted me with:
> 
> 'The way you said “I love you." Behind a closed door.'
> 
> Enjoy!

The page was a blur in front of him. With the finger and thumb of his left hand, Hisashi rubbed at the bridge of his nose, pinching hard then digging under his eye sockets.

“Do you want to take a break?” Kazuhito asked.

“No, no, I’ve nearly finished,” he huffed, and after blinking he refocused on the book.  He placed his pen on the paper, tapping it up and down, willing the answer to come to him. But it didn’t materialise and in frustration, he threw both the pen and the book across the table, before slumping backwards.

“Take a break, now,” Kazuhito ordered, but mildly.

“Sorry,” Hisashi mumbled.  “That question. I just don’t get it.”

“Okay, you go and get us some drinks, and I’ll have a look through what you’ve done so far.”

“Won’t take long,” Hisashi said grumpily. “Bet it’s all shit.”

“Hey!” Kazuhito flicked him on the forehead with his finger. “Stop with the defeatist attitude. You’re working hard.”

“And with precious little result,” Hisashi muttered, and glowering he got to his feet. “Story of my life.”

Picking up the paper, Kazuhito skim read his answers. Hisashi hadn’t done too badly, but as usual, he’d done well at the beginning, getting patchy in the middle section of questions, before tailing off at the end.  And it struck Kazuhito – again - that Hisashi wasn’t the least bit stupid – he knew the subject – he just tackled everything with such enthusiasm in the beginning that he used up all his energy, running on empty for the remainder of the test.

“It’s not as bad as you think,” he called out.

“Hisashi?”

“What?” He sounded snappish.

“I said it’s not as bad as you think.”

“Yeah, well, what I’m thinking is ... Ah, never mind. Juice or cola?”

“Uh...”

“Or do you want coffee?” he asked wearily.

“Juice is fine. Or water. Anything with ice in it, okay?”

“Fine.”

Going back to the paper, he read more thoroughly, trying to work out exactly how he could help. The study sessions at Tanaka’s house were good, but Hisashi needed something more tailored to his needs, because unlike Ryuu and Yuu - who needed a crash course in everything - he hadn’t been goofing off. Hisashi put the effort in, but unfortunately, he didn’t study smart. Kazuhito frowned again, picking through the mark scheme as he sought a plan of action.

It was when he’d got to the middle of the paper that he realised Hisashi hadn’t returned. Unless he was actually squeezing oranges, or had escaped to find a natural spring, fetching them two drinks should not take that long. And yes, he’d told him to take a break, but this wasn’t what he’d had in mind.

(What he had in mind wasn’t exactly on the study curriculum, but relaxation, Kazuhito had decided, was paramount to Hisashi’s well- being. And maybe, just maybe...

His thoughts drifted... Hisa and he slumped back on the sofa. Their arms brushing together, and then, perhaps, their fingers would touch... intertwine ... and ... _Get a grip, Kazu, he doesn’t think that way. You’re mates, that’s all, and mates help each other out. That’s why you’re here. Study buddies. That. Is. All_.)

“Hisashi?”

Silence ... again. Not even the clattering of glasses, or the sound of the icemaker.

He stood up, listening intently, but there was nothing. So treading carefully, skirting around the squeaky floorboard in the hallway, he shimmied along the wall to the kitchen.

And then, with his ear pressed against the closed door, he heard an unmistakeable sob.

He tapped ... gently. “Hisa?”

“Uh... what?”

“You okay?”

He heard a very audible sniff, and then the unmistakable sound of a body sliding down the door, and despite Hisashi not being able to see him, Kazuhito lowered himself to the floor, too, placing his palm against the wooden panel.

“It’s no good, is it?” Hisashi mumbled.

“What’s no good?”

“My paper, schoolwork, my chance in the exams. Take your pick.”

“Uh ... it’s not that -”

“Please don’t lie to me, Kazu,” he muttered. “Probably best I know now, then I can stop thinking about Tokyo.”

“Hisa, stop this.”

“Although why I’m still thinking about going, I don’t know. I’m not going to get a game ... unless Tanaka cocks up, and that’s kind of unfair, isn’t it?”

More sniffing. More stifled sobs, and then soft thuds as he thumped his head against the door.

“Daichi-san didn’t even mention me. Four idiots, he said, essential to winning. He ... forgot about me.”

“Because you’re not an idiot,” Kazuhito assured him.

“I’m class two!”

“But you’re not in any real danger of failing, Hisa,” he said and tapped his fingers on the door. “You can do this, you know. You just ... you don’t answer the questions properly, that’s all.”

“What do you mean?”

“Uh... well ...” This wasn’t quite where he’d wanted to do his debrief, but Hisashi clearly wasn’t ready to open the door. “You need to check the mark scheme to each question. You wrote a lot of detail for the first one, but there were only two marks available.  So ... keep an eye on that. And you’re a strong starter, so maybe look at the questions which are worth more, and tackle them first.”

Another sniff. “You mean that?”

“What would be the point of lying, Hisa?” he said softly. “I want you in Tokyo, too, you know.”

“Really?”

“Uh ... yes, why do you think I’ve been coming here to tutor you?” he half -bluffed, because, well, it was true, just not the full truth. Feeling heat at the back of his eyes he shut them tight then furled his hand around his shirt. “And about Tokyo ... you heard Ukai-san, there’ll be lots of matches, so we’ll get on court, even if the four idiots make it.”

He heard a slow exhale of breath. And then a shuffling sound, but Hisashi didn’t open the door.

“I love you,” he muttered.

Kazuhito’s eyes were wider than saucers. “Uh... wh-weh-who –wh-what did you say?”

More shuffling and then the door opened a crack. Kazuhito peered through to see an eye and nose and a little bit of sandy coloured hair.

“You put up with my whining about school _and_ volleyball,” Hisashi muttered. “Most people would have done a runner by now.” He laughed a little. “Don’t think I’ve ever told you how grateful I am.”

 _Ah, that kind of love._ He tried not to feel despondent, plastering his face with a smile.  “We’re the cheer squad, Hisa. The benchwarmers. And we’re not gonna start a game, not the way the team is now, but ... we might get to play.”

“Yeah, you’re right.” He grinned, a little wanly, it was true, but it was still a recognisable Kinoshita smile. And then his hand snaked through the gap in the door. He grabbed Kazuhito’s hand, prying it off his shirt, and entwining their fingers. “Thanks,” Hisashi murmured, squeezing tight. “Means a lot.”

And he should have shaken his hand off, told Hisashi that they needed to get back to studying, that he needed a drink, or even that he should leave now. But it felt so good, so right, that the pair of them were sitting together (albeit with a door between them) holding hands, that Kazuhito did nothing but relish this tiny moment when he could pretend Hisashi loved him more than a friend.

**Author's Note:**

> The head canon that Narita tutors Kinoshita comes from Megan. It makes perfect sense to me.


End file.
